Police dog choked, punched
Missoula, MT (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008
County: Missoula
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Fermin J. Villanueva
A suspected van thief was arrested after officers said he put a police dog in a choke hold and punched the animal.
Fermin J. Villanueva, 38, made an initial appearance in Justice Court Thursday on charges of felony theft and harming a police dog, a high misdemeanor. He was also charged with drunken driving and obstructing a peace officer.
Villanueva attracted the attention of police after he allegedly stole a van filled with tools and got it stuck on a concrete barrier near the Boone and Crockett Club Wednesday night.
A Boone and Crockett Club employee said Villanueva threatened to break the windows in the hunting advocacy group's headquarters after the man said he couldn't help tow the van. The man called police.
Officers responded, surrounding the van with their weapons drawn. Officer Randy Widdicombe repeatedly ordered Villanueva to turn off the ignition and climb out of the van. Villanueva refused, and continued to rev the engine, trying to rock the vehicle off the barrier.
Widdicombe eventually threatened to unleash his German shepherd "Moose" if Villanueva did not comply. The driver yelled, "Just shoot me."
Widdicombe released Moose, who jumped into the van, but Villanueva allegedly grabbed the dog and put him in a choke hold, preventing the animal from biting.
"He was putting pressure on the dog's neck, trying to break his neck. Moose was gasping for air," according to records.
Villanueva then allegedly punched Moose in the head, causing the dog to yelp. Widdicombe said he's only heard Moose yelp three times in the past, and each time the dog was seriously injured.
Widdicombe, who lives with Moose, jumped into the front seat of the van, yelled several times for the driver to let the dog loose, and then punched Villanueva in the head. When Villanueva tightened his hold on the dog, Widdicombe punched him several more times until he freed the dog, records state.
Moose grabbed the driver's left arm, but Villanueva punched the dog several more times before Widdicombe could grab his right arm and drag him from the van, court records said.
Several officers placed Villanueva in a patrol car and drove him to the hospital. On the way, he tried to bite one officer, and repeatedly banged his head against the car's interior until he was injured, court records said.
Villanueva was jailed on $50,000 bail. References« MT State Animal Cruelty Map
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